Bottom Line

The 485-room Sheraton Downtown offers a great location for doing business downtown, getting to a Lakers game, visiting the nearby USC campus, or shopping at the attached Macy's Plaza mall, and the affordable rooms are clean and comfortable. Just don't expect much service or extras, or much in the way of atmosphere.

Being part of a mall can come in handy. The food court's noodle shop, sushi restaurant, and Carl's Jr are convenient alternatives to the hotel's run-of-the-mill dining options (the Brasserie, a decent breakfast buffet and the lobby bar.) And with a Rite Aid outside the door and a mall full of stores, a guest in search of a forgotten necessity doesn't have to rely on a gift shop full of L.A. tchotchkes.

Where the hotel stumbles is in delivering attentive service. Room service hours are limited, though it's quick, and the food is surprisingly fresh. But special requests are less well executed. At a business-oriented, mid-priced hotel chain, personalized service isn't what you'd expect. But guest services is difficult to reach (the desk in the lobby is often unmanned, and calls, when answered, are sometimes routed to the wrong department). Plus, some of the staff don't seem to know the area well (a staffer couldn't give me directions to the nearby Museum of Contemporary Design, even with a map in front of him).

The key reason to go to the Sheraton is the convenient downtown location. It's a viable option for families or business travelers looking to stay in the heart of the financial district. But the Standard Downtown Los Angeles right next door is just as inexpensive and has a much livelier scene.

Location

Downtown and near the financial center, USC, the convention center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Staples Center

Located a block off Figueroa Street, downtown L.A.'s main street, the Sheraton has an ideal location for travelers doing business at the Los Angeles Convention Center or in the city's densely packed financial district.

Nearest Metro stop is two-minute walk; bus stops nearby.

University of Southern California campus is 10-minute drive.

Staples Center, home of the L.A. Lakers, and the L.A. Convention Center are 15-minute walk, or three-minute drive

Los Angeles Public Library is a five-minute walk.

Museum of Contemporary Art is 15-minute walk.

Walt Disney Concert Hall, an architecturally notable building by Frank Gehry that's home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is a 15-minute walk.

Nearest beach in Santa Monica is 30- to 45-minute drive.

The high-end shopping and swanky mansions of Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills are a 20- to 25-minute drive.

Universal Studios theme park is 20-minute drive.

Hollywood Boulevard and Grauman's Chinese Theatre are a 15-minute drive.

45-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Bottom Line

The 485-room Sheraton Downtown offers a great location for doing business downtown, getting to a Lakers game, visiting the nearby USC campus, or shopping at the attached Macy's Plaza mall, and the affordable rooms are clean and comfortable. Just don't expect much service or extras, or much in the way of atmosphere.